Antique Buttons & Novelty ButtonsIvory and scrimshaw antique buttons are a good example of a button that is valuable mainly because of how they are made. These buttons are often gorgeous works of art, especially scrimshaw buttons with their intricately made designs. However, the importing of ivory and ivory products is strictly forbidden in the United States so if you come across any antique buttons made with ivory, take good care of them. Antique buttons from the 1800's that were referred to as pearl buttons were actually made out of the inner lining of shells, then polished and decorated to look like pearls. While they are not actually made from the semi-precious stone, they do come in a wide array of lovely designs and sizes that make them ideal for the collector who is just starting out. Glass buttons are actually some of the earliest types of antique buttons in history as well as the most colorful. Using the same techniques to make these buttons as they did to create glassware, artisans learned to create glass buttons in many different patterns and colors to please their customers. The secrets of the glassmakers were often closely guarded, however, and production costs keep the quality of the majority of modern glass buttons well below that of the original, so antique buttons crafted from glass are held in high regard by collectors everywhere. Royalty and wealthy families were known to have special buttons created from gold and precious gems in the early 17th and 18th centuries for their clothing. However, these buttons were rarely used for any practical purpose, instead serving to decorate the rich garments and robes of their owners. Many of these jeweled buttons are lost to history or permanently on display at museums, so it's rare to find them among the antique buttons in a modern collection. It may seem like buttons have fallen in status since the earlier days of their history, since most of today's buttons are mass produced, plastic buttons with little or no character at all. Where buttons were once for decoration rather than fastening, they now seem to have become little more than fasteners without any decoration. However, anyone who has visited a craft store or art festival knows that statement isn't quite true! Taking the place of fancy buttons made of precious materials are the novelty buttons shaped like fruits, animals, even plants and automobiles that are made to liven up otherwise drab outfits. Many of these buttons are inexpensive and mass-produced, but if you are willing to shop around a little, you'll find that there are still lovely buttons being made out of wood, porcelain and glass by independent artists who enjoy making these novelty buttons as much as collectors enjoy discovering them. Street fairs and festivals are an excellent place to find these novelty buttons, as that is where many different artists and craftsmen gather to sell their products to savvy collectors and art lovers who know that these festivals are often a treasure trove for one of a kind pieces. Modern glassmakers still create miniature glass masterpieces with the same love and care as the antique buttons that are their predecessors, adding their own fun and funky touches to make sure that the anxious collectors always have something new to add to their collection. Thankfully, for those of us who can't make it to these festivals, the Internet can easily put us in touch with these artisans from the comfort of our own home. For a collector who is willing to spend a little more money on shipping, online shopping and trading is a literal smorgasbord of novelty buttons as well as antique buttons and more modern items. Antique stores and clothing resale shops are also excellent sources for antique button collectors. While you may not be able to find buttons by themselves, you are almost certain to find vintage clothing or perhaps an old sewing set that has some unusual or hard to find buttons mixed in with the rest of the goods. It's often a gamble to search these sorts of venues, but finding that one perfect antique button is worth it to some folks. You won't find many specific buttons for sale at online auctions unless they are of the rare or expensive variety that we have already mentioned, but there are quite a few people who will be more than happy to sell you a jar of mixed buttons that they found in an attic or closet while spring cleaning. Usually these "mixed lots" of buttons are fairly inexpensive and can contain some nice specimens, though it is probably rare to find a valuable button mixed in with the rest if they are mostly modern buttons. Like many collectibles, antique buttons can say a lot about the time period in which they were made. Just compare some of the cameo style buttons of the 1950's to a pewter button of today in the shape of a computer or television set, and you'll see that button collecting is more than just a hobby, it's history coming to life. Read about political campaign buttons |